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258 Broadway
Bexley Heath
020 8303 4268
https://www.greatukpubs.co.uk/thegoldenlionbexleyheath
https://whatpub.com/golden-lion
Above photo circa 1900 showing the second building of this name being demolished. |
Above postcard, circa 1904, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard circa 1921, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard, 1925. |
Above photo 2006 by Dave Patten
Creative Commons Licence. |
The original "Golden Lion" opened in 1731 was a coaching inn
for the London to Dover run. The premises often housed the local magistrates
at their petty sessions, but the
building shown above is dated 1901. The original building having been
completely destroyed by fire in 1843. The second building of this name was
also demolished
circa 1900 for the new one to be built.
Close to land on the heath there are several instances recorded of
recipients of the said land selling part of their allotments as early as
1816. One man, the landlord of the "Golden Lion," was bankrupt by 1820 after
over- reaching himself in speculative buying and selling of
such land.
In 1946 the telephone number was 268.
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Morning Advertiser. Wednesday 7 June 1843.
Dreadful configuration at Bexleyheath, Kent.
Yesterday morning Tuesday, about 2:30 o'clock, as one of the mounted
police were passing the "Golden Lion Tavern," Bexleyheath, he discovered
an unusual light through the front shutters. The officer immediately
aroused Mr. Martin, the landlord, and his family, but they were totally
unable to escape by the lower part of the premises. An alarm was spread
in the neighbourhood, and only a few seconds elapsed before several
lodgers and neighbours arrived to the assistance of Mr. Martin and his
family, consisting of six in number. By directions given, Mr. Martin
dropped his family from the upper floor windows, when fortunately,
without sustaining any injury, they were caught by those underneath. By
3 o'clock the whole of the building was one burning mass, and a Norwich
Union and Kent fire office engines, from Dartford, had been brought to
bear on the flames, but not withstanding every effort, the work of
destruction proceeded at an awful rate, and the immense range of
stabling next ignited. By 5 o'clock Headacre, the foreman of the
District of the London Fire establishment, with four horses, and one of
the Southark Bridge Road engines, had reached the scene of destruction,
but unfortunately, before the hour of 6, every portion of stock,
furniture &c., were destroyed. The loss is estimated at about £700, but
believed to be covered by insurance.
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From the Kentish Gazette, 13 June 1843.
Alarming Fire at Bexley Heath.
On Tuesday morning a most alarming fire broke out upon the premises well
known as the "Golden Lion," Bexley Heath, near
Crayford. Flames were discovered issuing from the upper part of the
building about half-past two o'clock by one of the mounted
police, who instantly gave the alarm, fortunately in time for the
preservation of the lives of the inmates, who had but a short time
before that hour retired to rest. Mounted expresses were immediately
dispatched to the Norwich Union depot and the Kent Fire
Office, at Dartford, and to the London Fire Brigade, at their
metropolitan station in the Southwark Bridge-road. Before the arrival
of the engines, however, the flames had obtained a powerful ascendancy,
the interior of the spacious premises exhibiting one
mass of fire. A copious supply of water being obtained, the engines from
the Kent Fire Office, which were first in attendance,
commenced playing upon the burning pile, and by the united exertions of
the firemen belonging to three companies the
conflagration was subdued by half-past nine o’clock. The building is
entirely consumed, and the stock totally destroyed. We hear
that the stock alone is insured in the Licensed Victuallers’
Insurance
Office for £600; we were not able to ascertain whether the
premises were insured. It is not known how the fire originated, but up
to the close of the house on Monday evening the members
of a benefit society had been celebrating their anniversary.
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From the Kentish Gazette, 16 June 1857.
WELLING AND BEXLEY HEATH, KENT.
Valuable Freehold old-established "GUY,
EARL OF WARWICK INN,"
HOPE LODGE adjoining, Sundry COTTAGES, and valuable plots of
Building and Accommodation LAND, and Two Enclosures of Market Garden
GROUND.
MESSRS. FABEBROTHER, CLARK, & LYE, Are instructed by the Mortgagees,
under their power of sale TO SELL AT GARRAWAY’S, ON WEDNESDAY, July
1, 1857, at Twelve, in Four Lots, the following VALUABLE FREEHOLD
ESTATES, situate about three miles from the Abbey Wood Station of
the North Kent Railway, four miles from Woolwich on the high road
from London to Dartford, in the hamlet and village of WELLING, and
the parishes of Bexley and East Wickham, viz.
Lot 4:— A very desirable PLOT of MARKET GARDEN GROUND, situate on
Bexley-heath, in Golden-lane, near to the "Golden Lion Inn," and
abutting on lands recently sold for building purposes, and on which
several residences have been erected, the whole containing above 4
acres, and let to Mr. Bartlett, for a term of seven years at £15 per
annum.
Particulars, with plans, may be had at the "Guy, Earl of Warwick,"
on the property; at the different inns in the neighbourhood; of
Messrs. Williams and James, Solicitors, 62, Lincoln’s-inn-fields; at
Garraway’s; and at the offices of Messrs. Farebrother, Clark,
and Lye, 6, Lancaster-place Strand.
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From the
https://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk By James Parsons and Jess Bell, 23rd August 2016.
Witness describes moment man with 'massive kitchen knife' burst
through The Meze restaurant in Bexleyheath.
A man has been arrested after a fight broke out at a pub in Bexleyheath.
The brawl on Saturday evening started at the Golden Lion pub on the
Broadway, before people reportedly fled to The Meze restaurant over the
road.
An eyewitness, who was eating with her friends in The Mezze, said: “We
heard some screaming coming from the door and then next thing I know
there was a massive crash.
“He put his fist through the glass door.
“There were a couple of door men but they couldn’t stop him.
“He went through the back and the next thing I know he was carrying an
eight inch blade and his hand was dripping.
“The guy was in a rage and had a massive kitchen knife.
“I want to know what Mezze is going to do to improve security.
“At the end of the day he still managed to get to the kitchen and spray
blood everywhere.”
Officers said they were called to a restaurant on the Broadway just
after 7.30pm, to reports of a fight.
One man suffered a minor facial injury in the fight.
A man was arrested on suspicion of GBH and taken to a south London
police station.
A spokeswoman for the Golden Lion said: "We confirm an incident took
place on Saturday evening in the Golden Lion which was quickly dispersed
by management and door staff and the culprits removed from the venue.
"There were no weapons used in the incident.
"We understand a fight reignited on the street and a man was arrested by
police.”
The Mezze has been contacted for a comment.
Enquiries continue.
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From the
https://www.newsshopper.co.uk By Pubspy, 24th August 2017.
There were warning signs for Pubspy when he visited the Golden Lion in
Bexleyheath - but was he right to be worried?
There are certain warning signs I have always thought one should look
out for when choosing somewhere to drink.
Proximity to a train station, the need for a bouncer and, as the Golden
Lion in Bexleyheath has, rules on the door.
A sign declaring what could not be worn, including ‘scruffy work gear’,
suggests to me this pub may have had some issues in the past.
Feeling the need to set out ground rules before you’ve even made it
through the door is hardly promising.
I couldn’t really tell whether this was a chain, and that again is not a
great sign. Caught in the middle between independent and conventional, a
pub purgatory that works for no-one.
Screens dotted around showed the afternoon kick-off, but it wasn’t
packed in the slightest.
However, friendly staff really boosted this boozer in my estimations.
A chap in a striped referee shirt asked us when we thought the final
goal would be scored in the match. Pay a pound and the winner gets the
pot. I had never heard of this before, and it was a novel way of making
a drab game – and dare I say pub – a bit more exciting.
This particular barman remembered our order and asked those words we all
like to hear: “Same again?”
The drinks themselves were as standard as it comes. Several
interchangeable lagers dotted with a few ciders, the basics for a pub.
A San Miguel and a Fosters came to £7.30, £3.00 for the Fosters which
seemed fair enough - £4.30 for a San Miguel is a little harder to take.
Punters seemed happy enough with the Golden Lion. It doesn’t really fit
the bill as a chain, but there was no charm that you find in a
traditional boozer either. It sits on the spectrum as just about OK.
The staff in there however – and not just the barman who served us, all
of them appeared to be as approachable and friendly – stop it from being
an altogether forgettable experience.
A DJ started to set up as the game finished and music blared out from
the speakers – that was the cue to leave.
I wouldn't say this was the 'golden' lion, more like bronze. I wouldn’t
say no to going back, mind.
Staff ****
Really did set this pub apart from other, more average boozers. Good
service all round.
Drink: ***
Average lager choices, nothing really to note. San Miguel is a pleasant
addition.
Price: ****
The Fosters was cheaper than expected and there were other decent deals.
Atmosphere: ***
Empty bearing in mind it was a Saturday afternoon. Maybe it gets busier
in the evenings, once the DJ plays them funky tunes.
Overall: ***
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From the
https://www.newsshopper.co.uk By Jessica Taylor, 25th May 2018.
Police appeal over GBH attack Golden Lion pub on Bexleyheath.
Footage has been released of a fight outside a Bexleyheath pub as police
hunt for three men in connection with the incident, which hospitalised
the victim.
The reported attack, which police believe amounts to GBH, happened on
Sunday, April 1 in the early hours of the morning outside the Golden
Lion pub on Bexleyheath Broadway.
A CCTV video shows a brawl on the street, as one man appears to hit a
person with a long object. Several other people can be seen trying to
break up the incident.
As a result of the reported assault, a victim was left with injuries
that required hospital treatment. Police believe the injuries amount to
GBH.
Anyone with any information about the incident or the identities of the
men sought is urged to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting image
references 010058, 010059 and 010060.
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LICENSEE LIST
CRAGG William 1832-34+
WATTS George 1840+
CLARKE William 1841+ (age 35 in 1841 )
GRIFFITHS John 1851-55+ (age 37 in 1851)
HAWKINS George F 1861+ (age 30 in 1861)
HESTER Elizabeth Mrs 1862+
FORTY Fred 1881+ (age 35 in 1881)
BIRCH William H 1891+ (age 58 in 1891)
CAMPBELL Walter 1901-03+ (age 58 in 1901)
DANIELS William Thomas 1913+
JACOBS Harry 1922-46+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/GoldenLion.shtml
From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
Census
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